Teenager's lamb raises thousands for Lancaster cancer charity

Ellie Jackson, aged 14, achieved her greatest success to date at the recent Young Handlers Show and Sale at Bentham Auction Mart.

Ellie, who has been attending shows since she was a toddler, saw her lamb win the Overall Champion award and the Les Thackray Perpetual Challenge Trophy for the best presented lamb.

“Ellie has been showing sheep on and off since she was about six but this was the best result she’s ever had. It was amazing,” said Ellie’s mum, Amy Haslam.

The teenager then decided to donate her nine-month-old lamb to CancerCare in memory of her grandma, Barbara Jackson, who died in 2022 and who had worked at Lancaster Auction Mart.

A spirited bidding process eventually raised £3,120 which Ellie has now presented to the charity.

“We would like to thanks Bentham Auction and the livestock buyers for their generosity and Will Alexander who sold the lamb,” said Amy.

The family live on a small holding in High Bentham where they breed flocks of commercial and pedigree lambs.

Ellie, who attends Settle College, is following in her dad Graeme’s successful showing footsteps and she hopes to study at Myerscough College.

For now, a busy lambing season lies ahead and Ellie also plans to enter the Great Yorkshire Show this summer.

CancerCare, which has bases in Lancaster, Morecambe, Kendal and Barrow, provides therapies, help and support free to people of all ages affected by cancer throughout north Lancashire and south Cumbria.